KHYBER KIM continued on an upward curve as he followed up his impressive Greatwood Hurdle win with a convincing defeat of Champion Hurdle runner-up Celestial Halo in the big hurdle. The Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained seven-year-old was sent off at 12-1 and came to pass odds on Celestial Halo. Boylesports quoted him at 10/1 for The Champion Hurdle.
There was another shock in a Champion Hurdle trial as Khyber Kim (12-1) ran out a cosy winner of the Boylesports.com International at Cheltenham. All looked to be going to plan for odds-on favourite Celestial Halo as he quickened going to the last, but Khyber Kim was in pursuit and the market leader over jumping at the final obstacle gave him his chance.
Paddy Brennan immediately pounced on the Nigel Twiston-Davies-trained seven-year-old and was always holding Celestial Halo up the hill for a comfortable two-and-a-quarter-length victory.
Medermit was third with reigning two-mile king Punjabi fourth after travelling well for a long way. With Binocular, Hurricane Fly and now Celestial Halo and Punjabi beaten recently, the Champion Hurdle looks wide-open with Khyber Kim now an 8/1 chance with Sky Bet.Brennan said:
“He is the most extraordinary two-miler I have ever ridden. He has so much speed. Ruby (Walsh, on Celestial Halo) missed the last a bit and I was there a bit too soon. I can’t believe it.”
Twiston-Davies said:
“We have to treat him differently to any other horse at home just to keep him sweet. We will probably give him another run in less than a month, I’m not quite sure where, and if he doesn’t go well there we will wrap him up until the Champion Hurdle.”
